Room: D139-140

Audience: Educators

Call to Action: Be a part of changing the outcomes of education. “We can’t” are two words that should never be used. Students need your engagement.

• Partnering with schools should be a handshake, not a handout. It starts with the first offer!
• Using structures like an aging mall you can make a difference in the future workforce while revitalizing the community.
• Teaching commercial design and construction to high school students is possible on any scale in a hands-on environment even if the student is not 18.

Abstract: Henrico County Public Schools utilized students in our trades-related programs to help design and build a 48,000 sq. ft. school inside of an existing mall to serve our adult population! This experience allowed students under the age of 18, to gain commercial construction experience while still in high school. The “Adult Education program at Regency Mall” will be a new location with a completely “New Concept” for providing continuing education in a post-secondary environment. The concept of an enclosed mall provides the opportunity to “sell” not a product but the next steps in your career pathway. HCPS will be able to serve over 5000 adult students each year in traditional adult ed programs such as ELL, general adult classes, and GED programs, while also incorporating more career-focused opportunities such as LPN, apprenticeship training, as well as financial literacy. The goal was to create a one-stop shop that allows adult students to easily identify and connect to the next steps. The unique design maintained the concept of “storefronts” to advertise career opportunities. Companies and businesses “sponsor” storefronts promoting and advertising. By being in a mall, students have additional opportunities to eat dinner before and after class. The hallway of the mall was transformed into the “commons area” where students mingle and work on projects in groups. The overall environment resembles a college but in the setting of a mall.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand how students under the age of 18 can learn commercial construction skills through a hands-on learning environment.
2. Identify five key ways to engage with high school students to help them begin their career pathway with a better understanding of construction management and architectural practices as relates to renovations.
3. Understand the steps needed to help teach students aspects of project planning and design by actually working with and completing a major project.
4. Walk away with the tools needed to plan and execute a commercial project that will not only impact your ability to secure future employees but also emphasize concepts of design and construction.